Monday, October 31, 2005

It's the first Guttenberg film. A full ten years before he would dazzle us in Three Men & A Baby, a young Steve Guttenberg proudly donned the mantle of "professional actor" as he took on the challenging and special role of Mike Cappelletti in the classic film A Question of Life(aka Something for Joey). Do you think it was a coincidence that this momentous occasion occurred in the year in which I was born? Me neither.

Steve isn't the star here. He plays the brother of the two main characters, and has very little screen time. But when he's there, is he supportive of young Joey? Oh, I think you know he is.

This is based on the true story about the relationship between Penn State football player John Cappelletti and his younger brother Joey, who has leukemia. John and Joey's bond is a strong one. Joey hangs out with John in the Penn State locker room, and inspires him to be the top college football player in the country. Their bond knows no boundaries and goes beyond making touchdowns and winning awards.

It's very touching. Joey and John are close. Joey inspires John to win the coveted Heisman trophy. Joey dies.

It's very sad. Yet, very inspirational. And fabulously seventies. Oddly enough, though, Joey and his mother look nothing like this:

I'm not sure why the artist chose to depict two people who do not appear in the film. It's a bit of a mystery.